HAMMOND – The Southeastern Louisiana women's tennis team will look to continue its unbeaten start to the 2013 season, when it returns to action on Thursday, hosting Southern Miss at 2 p.m. at the Southeastern Tennis Complex.
 
The match between the Lions (6-0) and the visiting Golden Eagles (0-8) was originally scheduled for 6 p.m., but first serve was moved up due to expected nighttime temperatures in the 30's. Students in attendance will receive free pizza while available courtesy of Southeastern Athletics.
 
Southeastern has been off since Feb. 16, when it opened its home schedule with a 6-1 victory over William Carey. The Lions won five of six singles matches after taking a 1-0 lead with wins at No. 2 and 3.
 
The Lions enter Thursday's match with a 31-4 dual match singles record as a team. Freshman Nastya Tokareva leads the team with a 6-0 singles mark, while freshman Reginka Nychytailova and junior Valya Rusakova join her at the top half of the singles draw with matching 5-1 singles marks. Freshmen Sarah Kriem and Renee Villarreal are both 4-0 in singles play for Southeastern, while senior Isabel Brito is 3-0 on the year.
 
In doubles play, Southeastern is 8-0 this spring. Villarreal and sophomore Adriana Castillo lead the team with a 3-0 mark. The pairing of Kriem and Nychytailova, as well as the duo of Tokareva and Rusakova, has posted a 2-0 record.
 
Southern Miss comes to Hammond in search of its first win of the spring. Among USM's losses this season were defeats at the hands of Southeastern's Southland Conference rivals Northwestern State and McNeese State.
 
Southeastern will play its next three matches as home. On Sunday, the Lions return home to host in-state foes Southern at 11 a.m. and Xavier (N.O.) at 4 p.m. at the Southeastern Tennis Complex.